Funding and payments
This section outlines the funding rates, timing of associated payments and funding rules. It provides a summary of how each Funded Program Stream is calculated and distributed on either a quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis.
All funding information is for 3- and 4-year-old provision.
Funding allocations
SEIFA metric (Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas)
Some funding allocations vary based on the SEIFA of a Service. Services will be allocated a SEIFA quintile for funding purposes based on service address, using the South Australian Index of Relative Socio-Economic Disadvantage (IRSD) for the Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2) in which a service is located. Service SEIFA quintiles will be updated every 5 years, based on ABS published indices following each Census.
Regional metric
Services will be allocated to a remoteness category for funding purposes based on service address, using the Accessibility/Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA) for the Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) in which a Service is located. Service ARIA will be updated every 5 years, based on ABS remoteness indices following each Census.
Teaching and Learning
The Australian Government provides a contribution to funding for 4-year-old preschool (1 year before full time school) through the Preschool Reform Agreement. This contribution is included in Teaching and Learning rates for 4-year-old preschool.
Funding rules | ||||
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Funding rates for Teaching and Learning are annual rates, tiered by SEIFA and ARIA, calculated and administered on a quarterly basis. Funding for the universal program is provided on a pro-rata basis where a child is not enrolled for the full 15 hours, based on the number of hours enrolled. Each Preschool Plus enrolment receives double the universal preschool Teaching and Learning allocation, at the SEIFA 1 rate, and any applicable regional loading for the Service. This is administered on a quarterly basis. Funding for a quarter will not apply to children who are not enrolled as at the reference period in any given quarter (such as children who enrol after the reference period, but who start preschool within the term). Conversely, services will not lose funding in that quarter for children who are enrolled as at the reference period, but who leave the service before the end of the quarter. Where a Service has received Preschool Plus funding and the enrolled child subsequently leaves the Service, or transitions to a universal preschool enrolment, the funding will be retained at the Service with the cancellation of payments effective from the next quarterly data submission. Any remaining Teaching and Learning funds must be spent in line with universal preschool, Teaching and learning discretionary use of funding rules. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Annual rates | Payment cadence | |
Teaching and Learning | Universal | SEIFA 1 & 2 | $2,665 | Quarterly |
SEIFA 3, 4 & 5 | $2,050 | |||
Universal Regional Loading (ARIA) | Major Cities | $0 | Quarterly | |
Inner Regional | $0 | |||
Outer Regional | $308 | |||
Remote | $718 | |||
Very Remote | $1,179 | |||
Preschool Plus | All SEIFA | $5,330 | Quarterly | |
Preschool Plus Regional Loading (ARIA) | Major Cities | $0 | Quarterly | |
Inner Regional | $0 | |||
Outer Regional | $616 | |||
Remote | $1,436 | |||
Very Remote | $2,358 | |||
Preschool Plus Fee Relief
Funding rules | |||
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Preschool Plus Fee Relief is calculated and administered on a quarterly basis. Preschool Plus Fee Relief will pay 10% of fees for days of enrolment supporting participation in Preschool Plus. Preschool Plus Fee Relief will also address any CCS gap in the number of subsidised hours due to the application of the Activity Test (for hours beyond the 3 Day Guarantee). The minimum number of Preschool Plus funded days per week is 3 and the maximum is 4. Preschool Plus Fee Relief payments apply to full days of long day care enrolment on Preschool Plus delivery days (3 or 4 days per week), up to a maximum of 11 hours per day, for 52 weeks per year. This will be paid up to the CCS fee rate cap (CCS fee rate caps are adjusted at the commencement of each financial year). Families who may have children enrolled at a Service for additional days will need to be made aware of their fee obligations for these days. Note: Preschool Plus Fee Relief will not apply to additional days of non-Preschool Plus program enrolment beyond the 3 – 4 days per week required to deliver the Preschool Plus program. Calculation Part 1: 10 percentage point uplift on CCS level × hourly fees (up to the CCS fee rate cap) × LDC hours per day of Preschool Plus delivery (up to 11 hours) × days per week delivery of Preschool Plus (3 or 4 days) × weeks of invoice period. Part 2 (for 4 day programs only): For any hours not attracting the CCS subsidy due to the application of the Activity Test, (i.e., non-CCS hours above the 3 Day Guarantee), calculate CCS entitlement equivalent based on family income threshold and add to fee relief (i.e., CCS level × hourly fees up to the CCS fee rate cap × non-CCS subsidised hours × weeks of invoice period) The OECD provides a calculator to assist Services to provide accurate information to families and to the OECD for purposes of funding. Once relevant child and service-level information has been input into the calculator, Services will have available a child’s estimated daily out-of-pocket costs, along with fortnightly:
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Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence |
Fee Relief | Preschool Plus | Funding allocation calculated based on CCS level, hours per day of Preschool Plus delivery and days of Preschool Plus delivery. A fee relief calculator is available for all Services with Preschool Plus enrolments to determine the funding amount. | Quarterly |
Fee Relief for Aboriginal children
Funding rules | |||
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Funding rates for Fee Relief for Aboriginal Children are annual rates, calculated and administered on a quarterly basis. For universal enrolments, funding is provided on a pro-rata basis where a child is not enrolled for the full 15 hours, based on the number of hours enrolled. For Preschool Plus enrolments, if they are eligible for Aboriginal Fee Relief and Preschool Plus Fee Relief, the OECD will provide the Partner Service with whichever fee relief is the higher value. They cannot receive both. | |||
Funding stream | Funding type | Annual rates (per enrolment) | Payment cadence |
Fee Relief for Aboriginal children | Universal | $1,890 | Quarterly |
Preschool Plus | $3,780 | Quarterly | |
Preschool Boost
Funding rules | ||||
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Preschool Boost funding is distributed through direct funding and/or vouchers. It is calculated as an annual allocation and paid as bi-annual instalments to all Partner Services. For first year Services, this is based on the estimated number of children likely to be receiving a preschool program, and the Service’s SEIFA and ARIA. For second year services and beyond, this funding is based on previous years’ enrolments, SEIFA and ARIA. The annual funding allocation will not be adjusted on changes in enrolments (+/-) during the calendar year. This funding is fixed for the year, ensuring stability despite any fluctuations in child enrolments. Services will receive a minimum allocation (tiered based on ARIA) to cover Services with low numbers of enrolments and there is a maximum funding cap. Each Preschool Plus enrolment will receive:
This additional Preschool Plus Preschool Boost funding is calculated and administered quarterly. The Preschool Boost maximum funding cap does not apply to additional Preschool Boost funding for Preschool Plus enrolments throughout the calendar year. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Annual rates (per enrolment) | Payment cadence | |
Preschool Boost | Universal | SEIFA 1 | $1,370 | Bi-Annual |
SEIFA 2 | $1,140 | |||
SEIFA 3 | $940 | |||
SEIFA 4 | $675 | |||
SEIFA 5 | $360 | |||
Universal | Major Cities | $0 | Bi-Annual | |
Inner Regional | $0 | |||
Outer Regional | $450 | |||
Remote | $650 | |||
Very Remote | $850 | |||
Preschool Plus | All SEIFA | $2,740 | Quarterly | |
Preschool Plus | Major Cities | $0 | Quarterly | |
Inner Regional | $0 | |||
Outer Regional | $900 | |||
Remote | $1,300 | |||
Very Remote | $1,700 | |||
Funding thresholds | Minimum | Major Cities | $10,000 | N/A |
Inner Regional | $10,000 | |||
Outer Regional | $20,000 | |||
Remote | $25,000 | |||
Very Remote | $30,000 | |||
Maximum | All Services | $150,000 | N/A | |
Ready Set Preschool
Funding rules | ||||
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Ready Set Preschool funding is calculated as an annual allocation and paid as bi-annual instalments to eligible Partner Services located in SEIFA 1 and 2 communities. For first year Services, this is based on the estimated number of children likely to be receiving a preschool program, and the Service’s SEIFA (1 and 2 only). For second year services and beyond, this funding is based on previous years’ enrolments and SEIFA. The annual funding allocation will not be adjusted on changes in enrolments (+/-) during the calendar year. This funding is fixed for the year, ensuring stability despite any fluctuations in child enrolments. Services will receive a minimum allocation (tiered based on SEIFA) to cover Services with low numbers of enrolments and there is a maximum funding cap. Services in all SEIFA with Preschool Plus enrolments will receive the Preschool Plus Ready Set Preschool rate. This is calculated and administered quarterly. The Ready Set Preschool maximum funding cap does not apply to additional Ready Set Preschool funding for Preschool Plus enrolments throughout the calendar year. Where Services are part of a larger provider organisation, up to fifty per cent of total funding allocation may be pooled across Services within the same Provider to support coordinated delivery and purchasing efficiencies. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Annual rates (per enrolment) | Payment cadence | |
Ready Set Preschool | Universal | SEIFA 1 | $700 | Bi-Annual |
SEIFA 2 | $350 | |||
Preschool Plus | All SEIFA | $1,743 | Quarterly | |
Funding thresholds | Minimum | SEIFA 1 | $7,500 | N/A |
SEIFA 2 | $5,000 | |||
Maximum | All SEIFA | $50,000 | N/A | |
Backfill for mandatory training
First year of partnership only
Funding rules | |||
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Backfill funding is available to support participation in the following in a Service’s first year of partnering:
This funding is calculated based on service size and administered as a once-off payment. | |||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence |
Backfill | Aboriginal Cultural Safety Training | Per hour for each staff member $45 per hour | Annual |
Trauma-informed Practice Training | Per hour for each staff member $45 per hour | Annual | |
Other Backfill
Funding rules | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Backfill funding for Professional Learning is available in a Service’s first year of partnering. This is a set contribution administered as a once-off payment. Backfill for Trauma-informed Practice Coaching is available in a Service's first year of delivering the Preschool Plus program. | |||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence |
Backfill | Professional Learning | $45 per hour 2 days training $675 per year | Annual |
Trauma-informed Practice Coaching | $45 per hour x 10 sessions $450 per year | Annual | |
Backfill for Professional Networks
Funding rules | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Backfill funding is available to support participation in Professional Networks. This is a set contribution administered annually. | |||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence |
Backfill | Professional Networks | $45 per hour max 3 hours 4 meetings $540 per year | Annual |
Enhancing Quality program
Funding rules | ||||
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Enhancing Quality program funding is calculated as an annual allocation and paid annually. Rates are tiered by SEIFA, ARIA and number of ECT-led rooms. For first year Services, this is based on the estimated number ECT-led rooms likely to be delivering the preschool program, and the Service’s SEIFA and ARIA. For second year services, this funding is based on previous years’ ECT-led rooms, SEIFA and ARIA. Annual allocations will not be adjusted on changes in ECT-led rooms (+/-) during the calendar year. Minimum funding thresholds also apply. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence | |
Enhancing Quality | Enhancing Quality Program | Funding calculated number of ECT led rooms + SEIFA + ARIA Number of ECT-led rooms
SEIFA – per room (SEIFA x number of ECT-led rooms)
ARIA+ Rating- Per Room (ARIA x number of ECT-led rooms)
Integrated Hubs will receive $2,000 in addition to the above. | Annual | |
Funding thresholds | Minimum | Major Cities | $5,000 | N/A |
Inner Regional | $5,000 | |||
Outer Regional | $6,000 | |||
Remote | $8,000 | |||
Very Remote | $10,000 | |||
Provisionally Registered Teacher Mantoring Program
Please see Provisionally Registered Teacher Mentoring Program Guidelines for details including funding rates and payment cadence.
Integrated Hubs Staffing
Funding rules | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Integrated Hubs Staffing funding is administered annually. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence | |
Integrated Hubs | Staffing | $269,364 | Annual | |
Integrated Hubs Establishment Funding
Funding rules | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Any unspent Establishment Funding may be retained by the Service, except where the underspend results from the service withdrawing as an Integrated Hub. | ||||
Funding stream | Funding type | Rates | Payment cadence | |
Integrated Hubs | Establishment Funding | N/A for 2027 delivery | January and July prior to commencement as an Integrated Hub | |